Marine Groves and Gardens 



123 



ing thick trunks, numerous branches, and leaflike 

 appendages. 



Seaweeds also exhibit considerable diversity in color, 

 and this feature has caused their being divided into 

 four great groups. These groups, or subclasses, a'*e 

 the blue-green alga? {Cyanophycea) ^ grass-green algae 

 {Chlorophyceo') , the brown algcE {Phteophycea) ^ and 

 the red algae {Rhodophyce^e) . These are again sub- 

 divided into various genera and species, and the num- 



MACROCYSTIS; A LAMINARIAN SEAWEED. 



ber of the latter so far known and classified is said to 

 be several thousands. 



As is the case with shore animals, the most favorable 

 time for collecting or observing the range and distribu- 

 tion of seaweeds is during low tide. A walk along 

 almost any shore at this time will show that these 

 humble forms are as particular in their choice of 

 locality and character of their neighborhood as are the 

 higher plants of the land. Just at the high spring 

 water mark will be seen some sturdy types of a short, 

 stubby growth, which seem equally at home out of the 



